It’s been a busy week for the campaign to “Complete the Trail.” on Tuesday, the groups who have been working together on this issue have formed the Complete the Schuylkill River Trail Coalition which includes: Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadephia, Schuylkill River Park Alliance, Schuylkill River Heritage Area, Pennsylvania Environmental Council, Bartram’s Garden, Manayunk Development Corporation and Schuylkill Project, East Falls Development Corporation, Friends of Ivy Ridge Trail, Lower Merion Township, Montgomery County, East Coast Greenway Alliance, Fairmount Park and Schuylkill River Development Corporation.

On Thursday, the online petition hit 2500.

Also on Thursday, Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown introduced a resolution, which unanimously passed, authorizing the Committee on Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs to “hold hearings and form a working group of City, state and federal lawmakers and interested parties to look for money to complete the Schuylkill River Trail.”

On Friday, the State Legislative Joint Conservation Commission held a hearing at Drexel University chaired by Senator Ray Musto and Representative Kenyatta Johnson and attended by Rep. James Roebuck, Rep. Babette Josephs, Rep. Kathy Mandarino and Rep. Edward Young on completing the trail.

The hearing was extremely positive, and — as Manayunkers — we should extend our thanks as well to Fairmount Park Executive Director Mark Focht for visiting Ivy Ridge Trail earlier this June. We have been extremely well-served by their efforts in Manayunk and Roxborough over the years, and are encouraged to work with them on this exciting new project.